U.S. Wants Criminal Charges for RBS

By

David Enrich,

Evan Perez And

Dana Cimilluca

Updated Jan. 29, 2013 7:39 a.m. ET

U.S. authorities are pushing for a settlement of interest-rate-rigging allegations with Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC that would result in a unit of the big British bank pleading guilty to criminal charges in addition to paying a penalty, according to people briefed on the negotiations.

RBS executives are resisting any guilty plea, fearful that it could lead clients to cut off activity with the bank and that it could increase exposure to costly litigation, some of these people said. The negotiations reflect a newly...